The Encounter
by midnightinjapan
Summary: How Izayoi met InuTaishou.
1. Chapter 1

Title: The Encounter

Author: InuDemi

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha anime, manga, or characters. All rights and property belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz.

Summary: How Izayoi first met InuTaishou.

**(_Inner_ _thoughts_)**

* * *

><p>"It's not much further now, Izayoi-sama."<p>

She sighed as the sedan chair swayed, bumped, and rocked with the inconsistent steps of her carriers. The journey was uncomfortable to say the very least, but she knew every effort was being made to ease her travel. Her father had overseen the construction of the hooded chair himself. It was painted a bright red with gold moldings, and he'd even seen that it was widened to give her more comfort. Her caravan was instructed to take the safest route without jarring her. Still, she felt sick. The few times her father had allowed her to travel to see her mother's family all ended the same way; stopping the caravan so she could vomit and disgrace herself.

All these years later, she had hoped it wouldn't happen again, but she was already covering her mouth with her left kimono sleeve. She would have to stop soon and allow her maids to take her into the woods. She could, at least, spare herself some embarrassment. She had been riding since dawn with the curtains drawn to keep the sun off of her skin and pulling them back blinded her.

"My lady, please close the curtains! You should not expose yourself to this harsh light." Takanaka was a squat man and one of her father's most trusted servants. He usually worse an eboshi to hide his bald spot but today all the servants wore straw sugegasa as they walked out in the sun. The returning vassals of her future husband were also being carried in palanquins. Unlike her, they showed little concern for the trouble their attendants went to so that they could ride in comfort. It was the least she could do to give them water from the drum every time the procession stopped.

"I desire to stretch my legs, Takanaka-san."

"I'm afraid that would be unwise, Izayoi-sama. We have been forced to halt too many times. We must get you to the Kai province before we draw the attention of spies from the Date Clan."

"I understand the danger but I feel a sickness coming over me. Stop the procession. I will take full responsibility."

Takanaka called for the halt and she bolted through the curtain and out of the sedan chair almost before the carriers came to a full stop. Her four maids rushed after her, holding the edges of her kimono so it wouldn't drag on the ground. She did not make it far beyond the brush before she lurched over and vomited. Between her own gasping and the clench of her stomach muscles, she was only vaguely aware of her maids grabbing her hair to hold it out of the way. She steadied herself on a nearby tree as they mopped her brow and fussed over her.

"Akiko, tell Takanaka to treat the attendants to water while I compose myself."

"Yes, Izayoi-sama," the young girl bowed low and ran off back to the convoy

Her stomach heaved again and she gripped the tree with both hands. She could hear the whinnies from the horses of her father's samurai and the shouts of men below. She had to return soon or they would come looking for her. She did not want tales of her sickness reaching the vassals -and by consequence- her betrothed. Being labeled as sickly would call her ability to bare children into question. She took deep breaths and stood up straight.

"I must return." Her maids dabbed her face and bowed as she walked forward. She felt hot under the layers of her kimono and she would need water to wash the taste of bile from her mouth. She could not walk fast for fear of causing another wave of sickness. Her balance on her geta was already unsteady enough. She listened to the leaves and twigs crunch under her steps. The woods smelled like moss and earth, there were no flowers, not even wild ones and she found herself missing the gardens of her family castle. Hopefully, her new home would have gardens just as splendid. She could not remember seeing any gardens in the Takeda castle when she was younger. Would her future lord allow her to plant her own?

She was Izayoi of the Imagawa clan and it was her duty to marry her cousin and help strengthen their family ties. Date Masamune, the One-Eyed Dragon, was currently conquering his own kin and taking over their lands. What would happen after he was done slaying his own cousins and uncles? If he turned his bloodlust toward either the Imagawa or her mother's family, the Takeda, there had to be enough stability between the two clans to join forces. She took a deep breath and kept walking. Her father was counting on her.

When she broke through the line of trees she saw some tension leave Takanaka's shoulders. The poor old man was too nervous over this journey. Akiko was overseeing the water distribution and her father's samurai were keeping a strict watch. He'd given her his five finest warriors to escort her to the Kai province. Five was all he could spare. He needed his forces ready as a precaution against attack. She remembered her mother's fury that her uncle had not sent samurai to escort his son's future bride to safety. So, her father and his adviser's planned and mapped the safest possible route for her. There was less chance of being seen and attacked on the forest paths.

The samurai never relaxed or removed their armor. If some of the servants were close to death from exhaustion, she could not imagine what the samurai were feeling. She had often seen them walking as a way of resting their horses, though they refused to remove the animals' barding. She knew that one of the samurai was sent to scout ahead and that he communicated with his comrades by the use of a hawk, but she had not seen him or the bird for hours.

Everyone bowed as she came back to the group and Takanaka rushed over to her with his sugesaga in his hands. He tried to lift it over her head to shield her from the sun but he was too short for that. She had to stifle a laugh at seeing him stretch too hard. Finally his efforts gave way to frustration and he swatted one of her maids with the hat.

"Come now, girl! Can't you see the damage the sun will cause our mistress's beautiful skin? Use this to cover her!"

"Do not worry for me so, Takanaka-san. We can be on our way as soon as everyone is refreshed," she said with a smile.

"Izayoi-sama, the sun is so hot and your skin is so fair," said Etsu.

"Izayoi-sama, are you well?" Asked Takanaka.

"Yes, I am well enough to continue."

"I am very glad to hear it." He pulled back the curtain of her sedan chair and ushered her inside.

**_Back to this horrible prison._**

Akiko fetched her some water and a small fan to help her ease the heat. Everyone mounted their horses and took their places and she gave a quiet groan as the sedan chair was lifted from the ground again.

She heard the hawk first but thought nothing of it until the shouting started. Her sedan chair stopped suddenly and when she pulled the side curtain back the samurai were riding up and down the procession. One of them stopped at her window.

"Izayoi-sama, we must stop. Our scout has reported strangers in the woods up ahead. He does not know if they are the One-Eyed Dragon's men or Ronin. Neither is good for us and it would put you in grave danger to continue," he spoke quickly as he tried to keep his horse under control. She felt panic building up in the pit of her stomach.

"Then we will stop, and see that my uncle's vassals are informed of the situation." She spoke with strength she did not feel.

"Do not fear, Izayoi-sama, we will protect you with our lives." He nodded and rode on to carry the message. She closed the curtain and said a silent prayer to the kami that this danger would pass. She could hear the sound of footsteps and see their shadows as her maids and other attendants gathered around her palanquin.

"We are here for you, Izayoi-sama," she heard Akiko say from outside.

"Do not step outside, Izayoi-sama. We do not want them to spot you," said Takanaka.

"I do not fear myself but for all of you. Please find cover."

"We will not leave you, my lady," said Etsu.

She heard one of the horses outside again and had to stop herself from pulling the curtain back again, but she was sure her retinue of maids and servants would draw the attention of any person looking for her.

"Izayoi-sama, I will remain here with you until we hear it is safe to move on."

"I thank you. What is your name?" Her voice came out so shaky that it made her flinch. How could the daughter of Imagawa Yoshimoto be so scared?

"Gensai Hattori, my lady, and I have been serving your father since before you were born."

"I feel safe in your care, Gensai Hattori."

"It is my honor, Izayoi-sama."

The sun was beginning to set and nightfall meant more cover but also more danger. She wished she had not stopped the procession because of her weakness. They might have been past this stretch of woods and out of this present danger. And she wished her future husband had spared a few guards for her sake. She found herself sharing her mother's fury over that. More than anything she wished she were back home in the safety of her own castle.

When night fell she ordered her maids and attendants to rest. Nothing had happened and she had been informed by Takanaka that the vassals were getting restless and criticizing the samurai. It is possible that the scout saw nothing but farmers out for a hunt, but she had such a bad feeling in her stomach. Some of their servants were starting cook fires. She could hear the arguments of the samurai. Fires and the smell of cooking food draw danger.

"The scout returns, Izayoi-sama," said Gensai. This time she did pull the curtain back. The scout was riding toward them fiercely, shouting as he came.

"Youkai! Youkai in the woods! Take Izayoi-sama to safety!"

"Did he say youkai?" Fear and panic pooled in her, creating a feeling worse than any motion sickness. The scout pulled his horse to skidding stop next to Gensai. He looked just as afraid as she was.

"Gensai-dono, I saw them! When I crept closer to determine who they were, I saw them. They had green skin and yellow eyes. They were hunched and devouring a dead man. We must remove Izayoi-sama as fast as possible!" Her maids exchanged looks of horror and gasps of fear. Takanaka shushed them with a wave of his hand.

"Perhaps these devils will pass us by? If we remain quiet here our presence may go unnoticed," said Gensai.

"I do not think that wise. They spoke as they…as they ate. I heard them say the stink of humans and horses was close. I believe they smelled our party approaching. They will either wait for us or attack us." A look passed between the two samurai and the discussion was over. The scout dismounted and walked toward her transport.

"Izayoi-sama, I will assist you onto Gensai-dono's horse so that he may carry you away from this accursed place. Your maids must also mount their horses and follow you back to Suruga."

"The betrothal!" Takanaka was looking from her to the samurai in desperation. "Who will inform Takeda-sama of why his bride is not coming?"

"Let his vassals do the informing and they may also tell him that we may have defeated these monsters and continued on if he had spared some of his warriors! Izayoi-sama's safety is our responsibility, keeping Takeda informed is theirs," roared Gensai-dono.

"I will not argue you where it concerns my lady's safety." Takanaka bowed away and began ushering her maids to their horses.

"All of you," she called before they hurried away. "It would please me for you to allow my palanquin bearers to ride with you back to Suruga." She would not allow any of her people to left here and slaughtered. She knew she could not save everyone, no matter how badly she wanted, but she could save her people.

"We hear your wish, Izayoi-sama," Akiko said. Takanaka shooed the bearers away with her maids.

"Izayoi-sama, you must leave now," said Gensai-dono. She nodded mutely and let the scout help her out of the sedan. Together, they got her on the horse. She held on tight as Gensai turned the animal in the opposite direction and gave his instructions to the scout.

"The vassals have been informed of the danger by the other samurai. Tell them we have done all we can and we must see to Izayoi-sama."

"Of course," said the scout. Without another word Gensai kicked his horse into a run.

**_Back home, but to what end?_**

Her father would not fault the samurai for saving her from such a situation but Takanaka was right. Her marriage was still necessary and this delay may not go over well with the Takeda clan. The sky was cloudy, hiding the stars. Only the light from the moon cut through. The woods rushed past her and she could only hope that her maids were keeping up with their pace. If she survived this, she would be safe at home for a while longer.

**_Please_**

Perhaps next time she would be better protected. Somewhere, deep down, she hoped there would not be a next time. She wanted badly for her father to rage against the negligence of the Takeda and break the betrothal. It was an impossible hope, she knew, but she wanted it. The reality was that her father would indeed rage, but he would not break the alliance. He would simply demand more guards and weapons for her escort and for his army.

A shriek went up somewhere behind them. The sound washed over her like cold water and her heart was hammering. She clutched to Gensai tighter and prayed for the horse to keep running. They had been traveling so long and the animals had hardly rested.

**_I stopped them because I was sick…_**

The screaming came out of nowhere. She recognized that they were male voices and suddenly felt so guilty for leaving the vassals. She was tempted to look back but couldn't bear the thought that she might not see her maids.

Gensai's voice called her back from her thoughts. "A man, my lady!" She raised her head over his shoulder as much as she could and squinted but only saw a dark figure in the distance.

"A man standing in the path!" He yelled again. "I will run him down if he does not move!"

"No, we must warn him!" She could see him now; a tall man in armor and fur. His hair was tied in a ponytail and seemed to shimmer in the moonlight. If he was traveling on this path then he was headed straight for danger.

"Stop, Gensai-dono!"

Their pace slowed until he could pull the horse to a stop. They were only a few feet away from the man. He was turned in the direction they came from with his nose in the air. Was he sniffing? She could scarcely make out his features in the fuzzy moonlight, but she thought she saw jagged marks on his cheeks. Even so, she knew he was handsome. He wore a sword at his side but made no move to reach for it.

"Are you samurai?" The man simply looked at them. She could hear the other horses now, but that didn't mean as much to her now as it had a moment ago.

**_His eyes are…golden?_**

"Are you Ronin?" The man still did not deign to answer Gensai. Izayoi could not look away from his eyes. She did not feel fear anymore, on the contrary, she felt calm. His eyes were so strong. It was as if he could see into her soul.

"Whoever you are, the path ahead of you is beset by youkai. For the sake of your own life, turn and run with us."

"What is your name?" She asked. Gensai looked back at her in curiosity, but quickly directed his attention back to the stranger in front of them.

"My lady asked you question!" He showed no sign of even hearing their words. He just continued to hold her gaze.

"We dare not waste any more time on this ungrateful retch, Izayoi-sama. We must continue."

"Can we not wait for the others to join us?"

**_To stay and look upon him…_**

"I must see to your safety first, Izayoi-sama. The others must look after themselves."

"You should listen to your protector." At first, she was so entranced with his eyes that she was not sure he spoke at all.

"Your companions are close but so are the human eaters." If thunder could be soothing, that would be his voice. It was like steel wrapped in silk.

"How do you know this?" Gensai asked.

"I smell their stink."

"How could you poss-"

"Do not question me." The command was soft but Gensai did not speak again.

"Go," he said, "You will not have more trouble beyond this point. Take the fair maiden to safety."

The man turned back to sniffing the air as if they were dismissed. Gensai did not argue, he simply spurred the horse on again. Izayoi looked back at the man until the strain on her neck became too much. She wished he had answered her question and told her his name.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: The Encounter

Author: InuDemi

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha anime, manga, or characters. All rights and property belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz.

Summary: How Izayoi first met InuTaishou.

**(_Inner_ _thoughts_)**

* * *

><p>The air was cold but she could barely feel it under all the layers of her kimono and the sky was still tinted light orange and gold from the rising sun. The garden was beautiful but in a hopeless way. Autumn had come and gone so quickly. Winter was slowly moving in and the flowers would be dead soon. It was her own personal garden behind her portion of the castle, and though it was the smallest of all the others, it was also the best kept. She wanted to arrange some bouquets to have around the castle before they all wilted. Akiko assisted her and they worked in relative silence. Talking would probably help distract her from the painful ball of stress growing in her stomach, but she just couldn't force herself to make small talk. The rest of her maids were taking the dishes from her morning meal back to the kitchen.<p>

Today she woke up earlier than usual, which meant that they had also. She was waiting to hear the news from her mother, who was currently hosting the new vassals from Lord Takeda in a dawn tea ceremony. Everything had gone as she predicted. Her father was irate but not so rash as to break off the betrothal. He and the Takeda clan had been communicating back and forth for two months now, negotiating new terms. Lord Imagawa used the situation to his advantage, accusing the Takeda clan of neglecting her safety on purpose in the hopes that she would die in transit and they would be free of the alliance. He even gave them a delicate threat of wedding her to someone of the Date clan and joining forces against them. The Takeda were now scrambling to set everything to rights.

**_I will have to leave again._**

Ever since that night in the woods nothing had been calm. She could still see it in her mind; the uproar the castle went into when she and Gensai-dono came charging up to the gate with her maids in tow. Their horses were very near death and the castle was put on high alert in case the youkai followed. She never worried over that for a moment. It was that stranger on the road who said they would be safe from the youkai once they passed and she believed him. It gave her an unusual feeling of sadness to consider that, in all reality, he was probably dead. She tried to remember what he looked like, the shining hair, golden eyes, and marks on his cheeks. It was a preposterous image but she could not convince herself it was exaggeration caused by fear.

It didn't matter. There was no possibility that he survived those monsters and even less possibility that he was in his correct mind to place himself in such danger. The sliding of doors turned her thoughts back to reality. Akiko opened the door leading to her rooms and Takanaka stepped outside on the balcony and bowed.

"Izayoi-sama, Chiyoko-sama wishes to see you."

"Very well," she sighed. Handing the flowers over to Akiko, she rose and followed Takanaka back inside.

The Imagawa castle was five stories tall and was at least two hundred years old. There was a seemingly endless amount of hallways and rooms and new servants always got lost. The outside was an imposing sight of stone and sharp points on a high mountain, but the inside was all gleaming wood and neutral colors. The walls were decorated with scrolls of calligraphy and landscape paintings. Some of them were treasures dating back to Heian era. The servants stopped and bowed to her but she had no kind smiles for them today. She was too busy brooding. Takanaka led her to the door of the formal tea room and bowed as he spoke.

"The lady of the castle awaits you, Izayoi-sama. Please note that the honored guests have excused themselves, so your conversation will be private."

"Thank you, Takanaka-san." She schooled her face into a pleasant but blank expression and slipped gracefully to her knees. Holding her kimono sleeve, she slid the door back gently and emulated Takanaka's bow, with her fingers touched together and her eyes were downcast.

"Come here." Her mother's voice was gentle but commanding. She slipped into the door and closed it behind her. The screen to their left was open to allow the sun in for the dawn tea ceremony but the room was relatively warm and the pot was still nestled into the sunken hearth. She sat down on the tatami mat to the right of her mother.

Chiyoko of the Takeda clan was the youngest daughter of the former Lord Takeda. Her father died some time back and her elder brother succeeded to the title. Marrying his daughter to young lord Imagawa was old Lord Takeda's final political act before dying. The marriage had worked well for everyone. Both the lord and his lady had been young and healthy when they married. She was beautiful and obedient and he was strong and wealthy. Their marriage had produced two legitimate children.

She heard the whispers that her father had concubines once and at least one illegitimate child, but no more. Her mother could not stand them near her and she managed to seduce her husband back to her bed. With a gentle smile and a caress, Lady Chiyoko defeated her would-be competition. The concubines were dismissed and Izayoi had never met nor heard tales of her bastard sibling. Today Chiyoko was still beautiful at the age of thirty-five and after bearing and birthing twice. Her hair had no trace of gray and only the faintest of lines were visible on her face. She took great pride in the fact that she had passed her looks on to her children. Now, she was preparing to marry her daughter off and groom Izayoi's younger brother, Eito, for family leadership.

"As you know the negotiations have been conducted by hawk until now. Since the death of the former vassals neither clan has been anxious to send more nobles into danger until it was perfectly clear that the marriage would proceed. The vassals arrived today with news that my brother is sending a small army to escort you to the Kai province, which is what he should have done in the beginning. The host will arrive any day now and your lord father will add his own troops and samurai to the ranks. You have nothing to fear, daughter. You will be well protected," she said, with a reassuring smile.

"Please give my gratitude to the vassals for bringing this news. I am joyous at the sound of it."

"I was told of your sickness during the first attempt of the journey." She felt terribly guilty under her mother's gaze.

"Mother, I did try not to-"

"No matter," her mother said briskly. "It is unlikely rumors of your illness traveled to Kai after the death of the last vassals and the new ones have said nothing of it. This is a brief respite born out of that tragedy. You have another chance and I will see to it that ginger tea is on hand to help prevent this from happening again."

"Yes, mother."

"You bring great honor to your family by securing this match. I have heard nothing but of how intelligent and reasonable the young lord is, so you should have very little trouble. A great deal of trust has been placed in you, Izayoi. Your brother will need this alliance one day if the enemies of Imagawa are not defeated. Will you fail him? Fail the clan?"

"I would never," she said earnestly.

Her mother excused her and gave Takanaka strict orders to see that everything was packed and prepared for her departure. The worst part was that she didn't have to do a thing. Her maids handled everything and she was left to her own devices. She threw herself back into flower arranging but everything about it suddenly annoyed her and she gave up. Her mother was right. A fine marriage to a powerful lord is what any woman wanted, but she hated the idea of leaving home for good. None of her new feelings would stop her from doing her duty but they would stop her from being happy if she did not come to her senses.

**_It must be me._**

* * *

><p>That night she slipped outside to walk in the garden as she often did. She was on the third floor of the castle so her garden was also something like a balcony. Since the castle was built to incorporate the landscape, the mountain itself was part of their defense. There was a high wall surrounding the garden, and on the other side of that, a sheer drop. She pulled her robes close around her. The cold didn't bother her that much but she was wearing silk and it provided little protection. She drifted over to her sakura tree in the center of the garden. There was a stone bench where she could sit. She loved it here at night. She loved nighttime anyway but here under the cherry blossoms and surrounded by purple hydrangeas, pink maiden lilies, and bright red spider lilies, the night seemed magical. She leaned back and rested on the tree and concentrated on nothing but inhaling the scent.<p>

She could not count the times she sat here gazing at the moon and the stars, but when she opened her eyes to look at them now, she noticed a shadow in the corner of the garden. She wasn't frightened at first because she did not know what she was looking at. Her mind had not yet made sense of what she was seeing. She squinted at the shadow and it moved. Now, she was frightened. Panic coiled tight in her stomach and her heart began to beat faster. She was suddenly very aware of how loudly she was breathing. She sucked in a large breath but before she could scream, he moved into the light.

He didn't make a move to come closer and she was frozen where she sat. They just stared at each other for an usually long time. He was just looking at her and those were indeed golden eyes. He looked exactly the same as when she first saw him. His hair looked silver under the moonlight and was in a high ponytail. She could see the marks on his cheeks were red. Some nagging logic in the back of her mind was whispering that he should not be here. But there he was; standing there as if he were part of the garden.

"You should be dead!" It was the first thing to tumble out of her mouth and she immediately felt rude. That same nagging logic came back and it pointed out how odd it was to feel guilt over being rude to an intruder.

"Should I be?" That voice again.

"How did you get here? Why are you here?" There was a cliff on the other side of that wall and guards posted everywhere.

"Your scent is very interesting."

The fact that he completely ignored her questions made her panic more. The castle defenses suddenly seemed ridiculous to her. It would take ages for the guards to come because the only way to access her rooms was to travel through the castle. But maybe…she gripped the folds of her robe and tried to run. It was unexplainable but she had only stood and taken the first step and he was already in front of her. Now, she was too shocked to move. He leaned forward and sniffed her.

"Fear is tainting your scent," he said matter-of-factly.

"If you do not leave I _will_ scream," she threatened.

"You are in no danger from me. I simply wanted to investigate your smell."

"Are you a mad man?" She could see the side of his mouth quirk into a little smile at her question.

"Not to my knowledge."

"Then how do you justify the risk of sneaking into the fortified castle of a daimyo in order to sniff his daughter? Are you a spy for the Oda or Date clans?"

"Your petty family power struggles are of little interest to me and I serve no human."

"You serve no one? Then you must be a ronin as Gensei-dono suspected, but how did you survive that night in the woods? There was a youkai attack." Her curiosity was overriding her sense of self preservation. She should be running for the door, not asking questions, but he was still blocking her way.

"They were nothing to me."

"They did not attack you?"

"The humans they attacked distracted them. Their gluttony made them easy to slay."

"You killed them? Without assistance?"

"As I said, they were nothing."

"Who are you?" She asked, but he seemed distracted now.

She blinked and he was gone. There was nothing except for a slight wind as if something had rushed by her. It unsettled her to such an extreme that she gathered her skirts and ran back to the castle. That night she broke protocol and slept in the empty guest quarters on that landing of the castle. Since everyone was asleep it was no trouble to leave her rooms and slip into the other. The trouble came in the morning when her maids entered her rooms to wake her. Though they found her quickly the news that she was missing from her bed traveled through the castle. She had to go to the trouble of sending maids to inform her mother that she was indeed safe, before her father was told. She told a simple lie that the sounds of wild life outside kept her awake. Her mother sent word that the Takeda troops were sighted not far off. They would arrive soon. Preparations were accelerated for her departure and the only time she stopped thinking about the man on the balcony is when she was worrying over her travel sickness.

"Takanake-san, I would like to take some of the scrolls from the library this time."

"I shall clear the request with your mother, Izayoi-sama," he said, as he bowed.

"Takanaka-san, is it possible that our enemies have hired shinobi to fight against us?" The question seemed to take the old retainer by surprise. He looked up at her in shock before bowing his head down again.

"Forgive me, Izayoi-sama! I have been a loyal servant of the Imagawa clan my entire life, but more honorable men than I sit on your father's war consul and are privy to details of the struggle. I cannot answer you, my lady."

"Of course not, I am sorry, Takanaka-san. I did not mean to burden you."

"There is no need for you to apologize, Izayoi-sama!" If it was possible, he bowed even lower.

"I have heard it said that shinobi can come and go like the wind."

"They are an enigmatic people, my lady. Indeed, they are deadly. Some say they possess demonic powers that allow them to become invisible and slay an enemy at great distances."

"Thank you, Takanaka-san. You may go."

"Yes, Izayoi-sama," he left to carry out his duties. She considered what she had just heard against what happened last night. The man had appeared and disappeared without a sound. He had blended in with the shadows too. How long had he been there watching her before she noticed him? He claims to have stopped the youkai the night they met. Is it possible that he had followed them to Kai that night?

The rest of the day was consumed with packing. Her mother was too busy to take meals with her so she ate alone. She insisted on helping with what tasks she could and tried hard to speak cheerfully to her maids. There was no use in showing her trepidation to them. They were in the process of packing her various kimono and silks when Takanaka rushed and fell to his knees in a bow.

"Lord Imagawa has come to see you, Izayoi-sama!" She had no time to respond. Her father entered the room with at least ten servants in tow. She and her maids bowed immediately.

"Let me see your face, my child!" Her father's booming voice always made her smile. She looked up at him and he smiled and nodded in approval.

"Leave us, all of you. I must speak with my daughter." The servants bustled out as her father sat.

"It has been weeks since I've had a chance to speak to you, Izayoi."

"I understand that your affairs keep you busy, father. I am grateful that your skillful negotiating secured more protection for my next journey."

"Yes, you shall have no problems on your way to Kai this time. This is not the reason for my visit, however." He eyed her critically. "Takanaka informed your mother that you were asking questions concerning enemies and shinobi."

"I was merely curious." Inside she felt pang of guilt. He didn't know about the intruder on the balcony and for some reason she did not want to tell him.

"Ask your question, Izayoi."

"I only wondered if shinobi were being used in the current struggles."

"By the one-eyed dragon?" There was something about how he looked at her now. It was as if he was testing her as he used to. When she was younger and still attending lessons her father would often ask her questions to see if she were learning.

"By any of the daimyo." He gave another nod of approval and sighed.

"Izayoi you possess your mother's beauty and it would give me great pride to know you have something of my own cunning. If this is true then you are no ordinary woman. Unlike other women, you may have a mind for strategy, but do not get ahead of yourself for there is very little even a gifted woman can do in these matters."

"I understand, father. I only seek to know the essence of the struggle. I am to be the wife of a future daimyo and my brother will take your place someday. How would it look if the wife and sister of daimyo did not understand the danger her two clans were facing?"

"You are truly my child. You will be an asset to the young Takeda lord, if he is wise enough to see it. Truth between us, daughter. You are right to suspect the involvement of the shinobi, but not from the one-eyed dragon. He is no longer a threat to us. It is the Oda clan that may be moving against us once again. And they have attacked the Iga shinobi," he said and looked at her pointedly.

"Attacked them?"

"Indeed, he wiped out the shinobi clans there and the survivors have fled. Why do such a thing?"

"Not fear," she said. "At least, not fear in a cowardly sense. It is possible he feared the potential an enemy would have if they hired shinobi. He sought to destroy that possibility."

I am very proud, indeed. I will tell you, Izayoi that I am seeking these survivors. They could be useful allies against the Oda if they desire vengeance."

"So, the shinobi would be our allies and there is no chance they could be working for the Oda?"

"It is unlikely. He can only hope to persuade the Kouga shinobi, but judging from his ruthlessness in attacking the Iga, he has no love for any shinobi." He looked at her intently again. "Why did you suspect shinobi involvement?"

"They would be the most skilled at stealth attacks and assassinations." The pang of guilt was stronger now.

"You have nothing to fear on your journey. Why attack someone who is not the enemy that just destroyed their home? Tomorrow the Takeda force will arrive, we will feast with the vassals a final time, and you shall depart the day after. It saddens me to lose you. Has a father ever had such a daughter?"

She thanked her father for his kind words and he kissed her forehead before leaving her chambers. That night she was kept awake, not by wild life, but by a strange excited feeling in her stomach. If the man was a shinobi, then it's possible he came to the castle to approach her father, but she only ran him off with her questions and accusations.

**_He must have been a shinobi._**

She was walking in the garden again, circling the sakura tree anxiously. She was hoping he would return so she could tell him of her father's desires. She fantasized about helping her clan, being the one to usher this new ally to her father. He would be so proud of her.

"Are you waiting for me, little flower?" She spun around and he was there again, hiding in the shadows.

"I hoped to speak to you again."

"Did you?" His voice was barely a whisper and it made her shiver and a blush.

"Are you a survivor of the Iga shinobi?" She couldn't be sure but she thought he was smiling at her again.

"Are you," she asked again.

"No," was all she heard before he disappeared and everything went black.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: The Encounter

Author: InusDemoness

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha anime, manga, or characters. All rights and property belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz.

Summary: How Izayoi first met InuTaishou.

_(Inner thoughts)_

"There is no trace of her, my lord," said Gensai gravely.

"Indeed, it is as if Izayoi-sama has vanished!" Said Takanaka, who was in such a state of stress that he expected the old man to work himself into a heart attack at any moment.

Lord Imagawa sat in on a silk pillow with all his retainers, guards, and samurai bowed before him. It was as though he was surveying a room full of failure. After sweeping the castle and grounds, they were unable to locate any sign of his daughter. He never imagined when he woke that he would be facing yet another catastrophe. This one was made all the more worse because of all the endless possibilities of who could have taken her, and the arrival of the Takeda company. The news that his daughter was gone had traveled through the castle. No doubt the Takeda vassals knew by now, which is why he sent for them. The situation needed containment.

"Gensai, I will not accept failure. My daughter must be found, and she must be found alive and well. You will lead the search and take as many of my men as you need. Find her!"

"Understood, daimyo!" The samurai exited the room without another word.

"The rest of you will continue about your normal duties until told otherwise. Takanaka, send the Takeda vassals in."

"Yes, my lord." When the vassals entered they were near as grim-faced as him. The three vassals were advisers to the lord Takeda. The one who usually spoke for the group was a shrewd looking man by the name of Daichi Tamura. The other two vassals seemed to be generally well natured but it was clear that Tamura held all the sway.

"Our deepest sympathies for this tragedy, Imagawa-sama," said Tamura, as he bowed.

"You may rest assured that our lord will give all assistance in finding your daughter," said Benjiro.

"Indeed, our lord would be most glad to help! Not only is Izayoi-sama the future bride to his son, she is also his beloved niece. And as we promised the Takeda force has arrived and are currently outside your gates," said Tamura.

"I am grateful for your hard work. My daughter will be found and those who have taken her will be swiftly punished for this grave insult! The Takeda troops will be treated well and when daughter is safe, they will transport her to Kai."

"This has happened to you once before, correct? The despicable Oda kidnapped the son of Matsudaira as he was on his way to be your hostage and seal an alliance, if I am not mistaken?" Tamura asked.

"That is true. The Oda fear the power of any alliance with my clan. There is nothing to throw them in the light of suspicion this time except for their past act. I will not move precipitously without more evidence."

"A wise decision, Imagawa-sama. A great daimyo cannot be easily swayed by immature hatred in these situations," said Benjiro.

"Forgive me, my lord, but if Izayoi-sama has been taken from this world-" Lord Imagawa allowed his displeasure to show on his face. Tamura stopped speaking and bowed immediately.

"I will not entertain such talk!" The daimyo thundered.

"Forgive us, Imagawa-sama. We would just like to remind you that an alliance is still desired and if you would allow your heir to be betrothed to Takeda-sama's young second cousin, it can be achieved."

"A marriage to a relative so distant would not be acceptable."

"It is true she is a cousin but our lord looks on her as a daughter and a marriage would be honored as such."

"I will give it my consideration but I have not given up on our current arrangement."

"Thank you, Imagawa-sama."

He had no time or patience for more marriage negotiating when his daughter had vanished in the night. It's true that the Oda had done this to him once before but that time they were so crass and they did not bother to hide themselves. Izayoi was simply gone. Her room was not disturbed, there were no clues and the guards saw no one strange around the castle. Could it have been ninja as his daughter suspected? Had the Oda destroyed the Iga shinobi to gain favor with the Koga shinobi? Whoever took her had to want something and he needed to find out what that was.

Never had she felt so lost, helpless, and foolish. She had actually gone out on the balcony seeking him! She tried to comfort herself with the knowledge that he could have killed everyone in the castle and gotten to her anyway, but it did no good. She had been spirited away by a youkai. A youkai that wanted her for his mate, and for some reason, cared to have her permission on the matter. She had no idea where she was, besides that it was the forest. The trees were so thick together here that the sunlight was barely able to penetrate. She was still in her night robes and they were dirty from being in the woods. She'd finally given up trying to escape when he erected the barrier around her.

"How long will he keep me here?"

"I'm afraid I have no answer for that, Izayoi-sama. I've never seen him so persistent." The little youkai chuckled at that and hopped onto her knee. Her captor left his tiny vassal behind to watch over her. A flea youkai named Myoga that had a nasty habit of biting her when she was not paying attention. Aside from that the youkai seemed welled mannered and intelligent, and incredibly loyal to his master.

"Well, I cannot stay here and I cannot "mate" with him! I am to be married in order to seal an alliance that my father needs! And what is more than all these things, I am not an animal! I cannot live in the forest!"

"My lady, you still do not understand what a great honor it is to be chosen by my master," said the little youkai as he bounced up and down. "He is master of all the western lands. All youkai that dwell within his domain answer to him! These lords and alliances you worry over, he could crush them easily. He is descendant from long an ancient line of youkai, there are few other youkai that can challenge him. And he has offered you chance to be his lady, a chance he has only offered to one other."

"Another?"

"Do not think on her, Izayoi-sama, they have long been estranged. She was also a youkai but their relationship turned cold after the birth of his heir."

"His heir? So I am to be, what? A concubine? This cannot be borne!" The idea of being in the same position as the women her mother had dealt with was unthinkable.

"You misunderstand me, Izayoi-sama. Youkai relationships are not like human ones. Most youkai prefer being free to move on when they feel the urge to."

"That is even less comforting to me." She stood up and began to pace the clearing.

"Let us imagine that you did have a relationship with my master, even if it ended you would be well off, my lady. His former lady has her own castle. Do not think he would cast you off disgracefully. The decision to end their connection was partly hers as well. Youkai do feel love, my lady. Those of the elite youkai are capable of feelings, but unlike humans, we do not believe in remaining in a loveless relationship."

"Even so, I cannot. How could I live knowing I had caused such dishonor on my family? How could I swallow the guilt knowing I ran out on the betrothal?"

"You say this marriage is needed to seal an alliance. Who is your clan warring with, Izayoi-sama?"

"The Oda clan has been preventing the expansion of my father's territory. We have been battling them for years and they have prevented us from forming alliances with other clans."

"And your father requires the armies of this other lord to end the Oda clan so he marries you off." It was more statement than question and the matter-of-fact way in which he said it made her feel defensive.

"The Takeda clan is also my mother's family so I was sure to be married to their son in any case. The war made little difference."

Before Myoga could reply the barrier shimmered and disappeared. They both turned and watched as he came striding into the clearing. Even now, the sight of him made her angry but she could not deny how handsome he was. It was an unnatural beauty. His eyes, hair, and markings were not human, but she loved to look at them and that made her angry at herself as well. She worked hard to fight down her blush by focusing on her ire.

"Inu no Taisho-sama," said Myoga as he gave a little bow. He ignored the little flea and looked at her.

"Have you considered my proposal?"

"What you ask is impossible. I could not, I cannot be with you," she said firmly. He stared at her for a moment. He was looking at her face with such an intense gaze that she began to squirm like a child.

"I would like to show you something, my lady. After you have seen it, I will take you home if you desire." He took her hand in his so gently that her resistance crumbled and she nodded.

She didn't pass out this time but she her consciousness was certainly not normal. She knew they were flying but she couldn't comprehend how that was possible. She felt the wind rushing around her and she knew she was clinging to him, but she could not say how much time passed before they stopped. When she opened her eyes they were on top of a mountain. When she noticed that she was still in the circle of his arms she blushed and moved away. She could see clouds below them, but what was even more fantastic was the castle behind her.

_A castle atop a mountain…_

Bigger than any castle she had ever laid eyes on, it looked as if three castle had come together to create it. The three buildings were different heights grouped in a triangle with tallest part in the back. It was white with hints of blue and dark tiles for the roof tops. There was a waterfall not too far in the distance and she could see that the water formed a river that ran somewhere behind the castle itself.

"You live here?" She asked in disbelief.

"Yes."

"Do you live here alone?"

"There are a few servants, but yes."

"Why did you show me this?"

"If you were to accept me, this would be your home. You would be the lady of this castle."

"Why me? Myouga-san has told me much about you. He says that he has never seen you so set on someone, but why me?"

"That night you ran from the youkai we seemed to be fated to meet. I was tracking those youkai when they attacked you."

"Why were you tracking them?"

"Days before, they wandered into my territory and tried to kill my son while he was out. They knew who he was and tried to eat him to gain his power. He's young, still, he managed to kill one of them and get away. I would not allow them to live after that. When you rode up with your samurai, your scent intrigued me."

"My scent?"

"That garden on your balcony, you spend a great deal of time there. So much that the scent has become part of you. You smell like flowers. It is usual, as are you. You saved your servants from the youkai."

"Is that so usual?"

"It is kind and inu youkai, like myself, we are drawn to kindness in humans. It's not something we like to admit. The animals you call dogs, they will serve any human because they are base creatures lacking in intelligence. Still, we are related to them in a sense that we do have an interest in humanity. Conversely, we inu youkai will only accept the very best of humanity." He smiled at her and she knew she was blushing.

"I am honored by your words, but I cannot be with you." Saying it to him a second time wasn't so easy. She realized that she wanted this, wanted him, but her guilt was stronger. She saw the sadness on his face for a moment before he smiled again.

"Then at least let me give you a kimono to wear home." She nodded mutely and let him escort her inside.

"Myouga, tell the servants I have brought Izayoi-sama and to prepare." The little flea popped out from under his master's fur and bounced off.

"Prepare for what?" Her fear tingled in her stomach for an instant.

"Fear not, my lady, in the morning you will be back on your balcony. However, I must insist on making you the lady of this castle for one night."


	4. Chapter 4

Title: The Encounter

Author: InusDemoness

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha anime, manga, or characters. All rights and property belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz.

Summary: How Izayoi first met InuTaishou.

_(Inner thoughts)_

The sound of the waterfall was turning into relaxing background noise and against her better judgment she was indeed starting to relax. She was in the lair of a demon without any defense but the most frightening thing was that she was starting to disregard this. She watched as the water spilled over the rocks and pooled. It then ran in small brooks to various parts of the garden. One such brook ran into a hot spring where the water seemed to heat itself. She was currently soaking in the tepid water. Once he introduced her to the servants, he instructed two of them to take her to bathe. She was grateful after spending a night in the woods.

At first she was against the idea of bathing out in the open but the servants assured her that there were not many eyes on the mountain. The few servants Inu no Taisho kept were all female and even curiosity would not drive them to dishonor themselves or incur their master's wrath by spying on her. They also pointed out that their master believed it would delight Izayoi to bathe where she could observe the garden. He was right. The garden was impressive to say the very least. It put her little balcony to shame.

Some of the little brooks cut through the field, which made the garden self-watering and wilder in appearance. There were flowers she had never seen before and fireflies floated around in droves. Combined with the waterfall, it was a dreamy and tranquil atmosphere. She did not refuse when the two women offered to undress her and help her slip into the water.

"Izayoi-sama? Your chambers have been prepared and a fresh kimono has been laid out for you."

She tried not to stare as they helped her out of the water and covered her with a white kimono. They informed her that they were bird youkai on the walk to the waterfall. Akane had pink skin, bright red hair that resembled feathers, and red markings around her eyes. Aoi was her sister with white skin and blue feathered hair and markings. They both looked so small and fragile, though they were not any shorter than she was. There was something about them that seemed less dense and their voices were melodic and soft.

"Thank you, Akane. Have you two served your master for very long?" She asked as they began leading her through the gardens and back to the castle.

"We have served Inu no Taisho-sama for two hundred years now," answered Akane.

"Two hundred?" She did not know why the number bothered her. They were youkai and bound to live longer than humans.

"Yes," said Aoi, "Since he saved us from Tekkei and her horrible daughter, Abi."

"Forgive me, but who is Tekkei?"

"No, forgive us, my lady. We sometimes forget that humans are, for the most part, oblivious to the happenings among us. Just as we do not know much of the political struggles of your people," said Aoi.

"No, you are quite right. We share the same land and yet we live in two different worlds. I would still like to know how he saved you."

"Two hundred years ago our clan lived in the steep, rocky mountains in the east. The mountains are high and good for nesting, but we were driven out when Tekkei attacked. She is a fearsome phoenix demon from the netherworld. She wanted our land for her own and with her army of birds and Abi, her cruel daughter, she drove us out. When our people tried to fight back they were slaughtered," said Akane.

"Tekkai became so enraged that we would dare attempt to fight her that she and her daughter began hunting us all down. Eventually, only my sister and I were left and Abi chased us here to the western lands. It was by pure chance that Inu no Taisho-sama happened upon the scene. He killed all of Abi's birds and sent her back to her mother with a warning never to bring their business into his lands again," finished Aoi.

"He gave us permission to stay here in the west after hearing our plight but we offered to serve him instead as a way of repaying him for saving our lives," said Akane.

"And has serving him been difficult?" They were crossing over one of the many tiny bridges in the garden. They were sprinkled everywhere over the brooks so that there was no need to leap the little rivers of water.

"Not all, Izayoi-sama. He is a generous lord and he makes little to no demands of any of us. We are grateful to have position and protection from one of the most powerful beings in the world," replied Akane.

"Myouga-san has said much the same. Is he really so powerful?"

"In the entire world there are, perhaps, only two or three other youkai who could match him," said Akane.

"Forgive me if I am too forward, Izayoi-sama, but many of the servants are wondering if you are our master's new lady?"

"Aoi!" Akane rounded on her sister. "How brazen you are!"

"No, I take no offense. I should have anticipated the curiosity."

"So, the two of you are to be mated then?" Aoi looked so happy, and she hated to disappoint her but…

"No, he made the offer and I refused. I am already betrothed to someone else."

"Ah, I see," said Akane. They were both visibly saddened and the mood seemed to drop with them. For a while they continued down the garden path in silence. She tried to occupy herself with the flowers. She was naming as many as she could in her head but the silence had become heavy and distracting. It was the type of silence that only comes when people are trying to not say anything for fear of argument.

"Can either of you tell me why your lord is seeking a mate?"

"He was not and has not been seeking to our knowledge," Aoi said.

"It grieves us because he has been alone for so long. Some demons prefer solitude but inu and bird youkai like, and thrive with companionship," said Akane.

"In that case I am very sorry to refuse him but I must marry my intended for political reasons. The future of my clan may depend upon it."

"Please, my lady, you have no need to explain yourself to us," said Akane.

"And there may be no one who understands clan duty more than we," said Aoi.

"The samurai are each leading their own search parties out into the land surrounding the castle. There is still no sign of Izayoi-sama but there is still hope. Since the men are taking great care to search closely, their pace is slow and they have not covered much of the grounds outside the castle. She may still be found, my lord."

Takanaka prostrated himself before his lord. It was harder to see because the normally well lit room was steeped in darkness. His lord had taken to sitting in the darkened room more often since the disappearance of his daughter. He even took meals here whenever the -now rare- desire for food came upon him. He would not allow Chiyoko-sama in to see him and most of the servants were too frightened of his temper. Only Takanaka and the occasional samurai entered the room. The little man made a careful glance up before putting his head down again.

"And my lord, you should know that since you refuse to give him an audience, Tamura-sama has resorted to questioning the servants about the situation." Takanaka was close to giving up for the day when the lord spoke.

"Tell them that I am considering the proposal of wedding my son to Lord Takada's cousin. That should quiet him for a while."

"Yes, my lord," Takanaka said eagerly.

"I am running out of options Takanaka-san. I have walked through my daughter's chambers myself and there is nothing, nothing out of the ordinary other than her absence. Who could take her so silently in the middle of the night without being seen? It must be shinobi."

"If the stories are to be believed, the shinobi do not act without orders from a master, my lord."

"Yes, and I must figure out who their master is."

"Will your master not join me?"

She was seated at a long table filled with food. More food than she could ever eat on her own. In fact, she was sure it would take an army to finish off this much food. She had never seen such a magnificent feast. Not even the many feasts her father had given for visiting dignitaries could match it. Akane and Aoi brought her to dine after dressing her in a beautiful kimono. It was white with pink and red flower patterns on the sleeves and below her midriff. The obi was dark green with intercut flower designs. The two sisters now stood on either side of the room while she ate.

"I don't believe so, Izayoi-sama," said Aoi.

She took her time eating and let her mind wander back to everything she knew about this "man" who wanted her for a wife.

_Mate, actually…_

He was great and powerful. So powerful that he ruled all the demons in the western lands and few could challenge him. Myouga also said he had an heir from his first wife. She wondered what his son was like.

"You said your lord has been alone for a long time, but he has an heir, correct?"

"Yes, the young lord Sesshoumaru. He visits often but spends a great deal of time with his mother," said Aoi.

"Is he like his father?"

"In many ways he is. He is strong and confident for his age, but his manner is more like his lady mother's," answered Akane.

She tried to contain her curiosity and focused only on eating. She was too inquisitive for her own good and she knew it. She didn't need any of this information. She was going home tomorrow and her life would proceed as planned. She wondered about her father and mother and what they must be going through now. The castle would have known she was missing almost as soon as the sun had risen and unlike before, she was not simply in another room.

_They must be searching all over for me._

They were, without a doubt, worried sick. It made her feel incredibly guilty to be sitting at a feast, in a new kimono, and her family was probably ripping apart the countryside to find her. Her mother would assume the worst, and her father would be looking for someone to blame.

"Izayoi-sama, are you well? You're frowning. Is there something wrong with the food?" The sisters looked ready to rush over and do away with any offending dish immediately.

"On the contrary, everything is delicious but I could not take another bite." She smiled and they were visibly relieved. She stood and Akane bowed to her.

"We've been ordered to show you to your room so that you may rest. We were told you would be leaving very early, Izayoi-sama."

"Oh," she said in surprise, "very well then."

As she walked behind Akane and Aoi, she could not keep her eyes from wandering to the walls. There were hundreds of paintings depicting beautiful landscapes and constellations from the night sky. All the artwork was so vibrant; it was very different from the neutral colors in her home. She was glad that she didn't get distracted enough to lose sight of her guides and go astray. They led her to two large doors, which they both slid open.

"This is your room for the night, Izayoi-sama," said Aoi.

Inside the floor was made of wood more dark and polished than she had seen throughout the rest of the castle. There was a huge futon on a dais and both nearly took up the entire room. There were lanterns hung on tall poles in all four corners and a small privacy partition that would shield her from the glare of the sun tomorrow morning.

"Our master picked this room out especially for you," said Akane as she walked over to the other side of the room and slid another door open. "We were told to show you the view."

Izayoi walked around the dais to the door and couldn't resist a smile. The door led to a balcony that overlooked the garden and waterfall. However, the smile turned sad when she remembered that it was only this one night that she would be able to enjoy it.

"Thank you, Akane. It's very beautiful but I fear I am too tired to fully enjoy it."

"We will help you out of your kimono, Izayoi-sama."

They undid her obi and kimono and laid them out on the futon for added warmth. Once she was tucked in and the lanterns were snuffed out, the sisters bowed low and left the room. She immediately sat up. There was no way she would be able to sleep so easily tonight. She was too excited about where she was. Her curiosity did not outweigh her lack of courage when it came to the thought of poking around a demon's castle at night. Against her better judgment she was beginning to trust her kidnapper –she even trusted Akane and Aoi—that did not mean she trusted the others living in the castle.

The night air was cool as she stepped out onto the balcony. The garden looked amazing in the moonlight. The fireflies were still drifting around the flowers. She could hear the babbling of the brooks and the noise of the waterfall. She found herself wondering if she could live here. The thought wasn't in her head for more than a moment before she brushed it away.

"Do you like the garden?"

She jumped and gave a little shriek. He was there on the other side of the balcony, looking out over the field just as she had been. He was perfectly calm; like he'd been standing there for hours and for all she knew he had.

"The garden is beautiful, but the way you sneak up behind me is very un-nerving," she didn't care that she was being rude. She just wanted to calm her heart. It was thumping like a rabbit in a cage. He looked at her and smiled and it did not help. He was dressed just as simply as she was. They were both wearing juban made from cotton, but there was something different.

His hair; it was free from its normal high ponytail. It was loose and flowing far past his shoulders. It almost reached the back of his knees. She had to admit his hair was a phenomenon. The way the moonlight made it shine was extraordinary.

"Forgive me, I should have been with you more tonight but I was arranging your departure."

"I didn't know there were arrangements to be made. You took me easily enough without them." Her tongue was beginning to shock her. When had she gotten so rude? And bold? It did not seem to offend him. He kept smirking at her, making her stomach tingle.

"Yes, I did, but Myouga tells me that it is not so easy to put you back. Your family will wonder where you were and I seek only to save you shame. It is true, is it not, that you could be ostracized or even killed for this?"

"If they knew I was with a demon, it's possible. I don't want to think my father would kill me but it would not be good, no matter what he did."

"Then I am truly sorry for acting so rash and putting you in such danger. It was never my intention." His eyes looked so sincere that she wanted to melt.

"I've already forgiven you but what arrangement will free me from persecution?"

"I have captured two human bandits and left a trail for your father's samurai to follow. Tomorrow I will alter the memories of the bandits to make them think they kidnapped you for ransom. I'll arrange for the samurai to find the three of you quickly."

"No!" She was shocked and slightly horrified. He only quirked an eyebrow at her in response.

"I will be there to keep a close eye on proceedings," he said.

"I cannot allow you to manipulate two men into their deaths!"

"They are not innocent men," he began.

"But we do not know if they have done anything to deserve death! Make no mistake, my father will kill them."

"What other alternative is there? If you suddenly show up in the castle, questions will be asked. What answers will you have?"

"I-I don't know, but I will not have people die for this."

"Then tell me," he said moving closer to her, "what is your best guess for the consequences of disappearing and reappearing without explanation?" He looked at her with true interest.

"I will be questioned," she said definitely, "I will be questioned for days by my father, my mother, and even my maids. If I do not provide a suitable answer, I will be held completely responsible for delaying the marriage and wasting valuable time. My father will be furious and disappointed; the vassals from my betrothed will be offended and insulted. At the very least, the wedding will be pushed back yet again while my credit as a virtuous woman is decided. The worst possibility is the marriage will be canceled without chance of redeeming it. I will lose my father a prized ally and win nothing for myself but destitution."

She was very close to a panic attack. Her breathing was wild and erratic, and her heart was racing. Saying it out loud made it all too real.

_How can I hope to come out of this without ruin?_

He was right in front of her; she felt his hands on her shoulders. When she looked up, his gaze was steady. She could feel herself calming down but couldn't tell if it was something he was doing intentionally or not.

"What would you have me do, little flower? This is a problem I created and I will solve it."

"I can't let you get them killed," she said evenly. She stared straight into his eyes and refused to look away. She was solid in this. No one should have to die for her.

"And what will happen if you are found as the helpless captive of a demon?"

"I will be looked on with more sympathy, but not by the vassals. Everyone will wonder what's been done to me mentally…and physically," she said, looking up at him.

"They will question if I have robbed you of your honor," he said frankly. She only nodded.

"I will be examined by a physician to prove myself and that should satisfy everyone. They will have no reason for halting the marriage without giving my father an opportunity to declare them false."

He raised a hand to stroke her cheek, "You have a mind for politics, my lady."

She was trapped in his eyes and she did not even mind when he kissed her. It was a simple kiss, barely more than a brush, but she liked it. She was still somewhat frozen when he pulled away.

"You should sleep, my lady. Tomorrow, we depart."

He was gone in the blink of an eye. She went back inside to the futon and slept without a problem.


	5. Chapter 5

Title: The Encounter

Author: InusDemoness

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha anime, manga, or characters. All rights and property belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz.

Summary: How Izayoi first met InuTaishou.

_(Inner thoughts)_

* * *

><p>Dawn came in a heartbeat. It was hard to believe she had been asleep for hours before Akane woke her. She wasn't tired, she was anxious and perhaps her body was too unsettled and would not be calmed by sleep. She nibbled delicately at her breakfast, barely tasting anything. Her mind was a million miles away replaying last night's conversation in her head. She had no doubt that this great lord of demons cared for her, but she could not sort out her confusion toward him.<p>

She couldn't feel anything beyond the impatient desire to return home. If she tried to examine the situation, then she had to admit she was intrigued by him. He was handsome, and his servants were devoted and loyal. Had he not taken her by force, there would be no black mark against him. But the truth was that she had already forgiven him for that since he promised to get her home. Akane informed her that the master of the house was gone but would be back soon. Izayoi was confident their plan would work, but she was also nervous for it to be over. Thinking about it sent a sickening jolt to her stomach and she lowered her tea cup.

"I think I've had quite enough. Thank you, Akane."

She smiled at the youkai as her tray was removed. Aoi came in immediately as her sister left. She must have been waiting outside the door. She was carrying a familiar bundle of silk and bowed with it in her arms.

"Izayoi-sama, we were instructed to dress you in your old kimono. Our master felt your father's men would grow suspicious if your clothes were not the same."

"Oh! Of course," she said in surprise. She had never given anything thought to what questions would come from her reappearing in an unfamiliar kimono. This one was still dirty, which she supposed was probably a good thing if she were to pretend she had been held captive in the forest. Aoi helped her disrobe and redress in the old night robes. She missed the new clothes as soon as they left her skin. It was vain and she knew it, but she could not deny that she had never worn finer silk.

"We will accompany you and Inu no Taisho-sama in order to help with this ruse," said Aoi.

"I only hope it works. It may be the only way to salvage my situation."

"I'm sure it will, Izayoi-sama. I have faith in my lord I know he will do everything in his power to help you."

"Thank you for that reassurance, Aoi. You and your sister have changed my view of youkai. I know now that youkai and spirits are like humans, they can be evil or good."

"Oh, but I disagree, my lady. All beings in this world are capable of good and evil, it's the one we identify with most that defines our character. But I hope my lord has helped change your view also?" Aoi smiled at her and began to tie her obi. Izayoi could feel the blush on her face.

"Yes, he has," she said. "Like you, I owe him my life. And I wish I could repay him, but the one thing he asks of me is the one thing I cannot give."

"My sister would accuse me of being brazen again, and perhaps I am, but I think that my lord would also be happy to know if he had your good wishes. Even if you cannot be his mate, it may comfort him to know that there is at least friendship between the two of you."

"Of course there is," she replied fondly. Akane opened the door and bowed very low.

"Izayoi-sama, our master has returned. It is time to depart the castle."

_At least flying does not cause me motion sickness._

* * *

><p>Lord Imagawa arranged eight search parties, each one containing forty men led by a samurai. Gensai was chosen to lead the third and they were charged with searching the northwest region of the Imagawa territory. First, he sent his men to round up the villagers planting rice in the fields and then gather everyone around him with the village elder standing by his side. It was a courtesy and it did help keep peasants calm if they saw their elder cooperating. Imagawa-sama was not one to purposefully mistreat the people in his land and this was something Gensai respected him for, so he tried to conduct the searches as painlessly as possible.<p>

"As you know your gracious Daimyo, Imagawa-sama, is doing all he can to prevent enemy warriors from infiltrating our lands. In order to do this he has commanded a search of every village to ensure there are no deceitful individuals among us; people who may be vagrants. We can no longer suffer thieves, ronin, and miscreants to roam as they please and terrorize honest people." As Gensai spoke, one man stepped forward out of the crowd.

"This is unnecessary! There are no such villains living in this village! We have all lived here all our lives!" Some of his men moved forward with their hands on their swords, but he held up his hand to stop them. The village elder moved forward.

"Quiet Eiji! It is not your place to question the Daimyo's orders!" The young man took a step back, bowed and did not speak again.

"Men, search the huts, but cause as little damage as possible." He left his second-in-command in charge of the hut after giving the order and retired to the elder's hut where the old man's granddaughter was busy preparing tea.

"We do not hear much news here and there is little to no communication with the other villagers, great samurai. Tell me, has crime increased so much?" Gensai accepted the tea from the young woman and took a sip for courtesy's sake. Outside he could hear the villagers mumbling complaints at the violation of their homes. He could not pretend that all of his men had the type of honor he would like and if the villagers voiced any insults there was a chance that blood would be spilt.

"There have been an alarming number of reports this past year. In his great wisdom, the Daimyo hopes this display of intolerance for such mischief in his lands will either lead to the capture of these rogues or frighten them into leaving." The old man nodded, apparently satisfied with the lie.

Word of Izayoi-sama's disappearance could not be allowed to reach her father's enemies.

Most of the lord's vassals agreed that it was unlikely that whoever took Izayoi-sama would be able to make good time. She had only been missing two days now and that was not enough time to enter the castle and leave this territory. But the pace of the search parties was slow. They had to stop to search every village they passed and scout every forest.

"Gensai-dono." His lieutenant entered the hut and bowed.

"Well?"

"Gensai-dono, the search is complete and nothing out of the ordinary has been found."

"Then we will move on." He waved the lieutenant away and turned back to the elder.

"I trust you will keep a sharp eye for any persons of malicious intent?"

"We will indeed and wish you great success in your mission." The old man bowed and kept his head down as they departed. Gensai mounted his horse and led his men out onto the road and on to the next village. If he was being honest with himself, he knew the odds were not in their favor for finding Izayoi-sama alive.

* * *

><p>She was put in a crude cage shaped like a three-sided pyramid made from bamboo and rope. The cage she could have lived with, but not the oni that towered behind it. A monstrous thing, she judged it to be taller than her father's castle. How it hid itself among the trees was a mystery. Its skin was dingy, dark red and she could see two horns and a mop of gray, shaggy hair on its head. The eyes were large, round, and glowing bright crimson. It wore only a loin cloth and seemed very dim witted. She stood positioned just so she could keep it in sight because while she doubted its intelligence she did not doubt its teeth.<p>

When Inu no Taisho showed up at the castle, riding on the shoulder of the beast, she had a moment of fear that she was about to be devoured. If you had rejected a great demon lord and he suddenly appeared commanding a gargantuan oni, what else is there to think? But here they were in the woods, about a day's ride from her father's castle. Akane and Aoi were busy smearing her face and clothes with dirt and messing up her hair. If she had to play the part of a demon's captive, then she could not walk away clean.

"I think you should rip the fabric of my kimono."

"Are you sure, Izayoi-sama?" Asked Aoi.

"Yes, we need to be thorough." Aoi choose a portion of her skirts and began ripping it. Izayoi glance over to her right where the trees were a little closer together. She could still see him. She could see the white of his kimono and the silver of his hair. He was standing perfectly still, like the night she first saw him. She wanted to speak with him, to tell him that he did have her friendship, but she couldn't. She wasn't certain what was stopping her. Perhaps it was that they were not alone, maybe she couldn't find the words, or was too afraid to voice them.

"The men from your father's castle are near," he said as he walked back to the cage.

"Are you sure?" Her stomach was in knots.

"I smell a large group not far off, and two more are in this very forest and coming closer. Akane, Aoi it's time to hide yourselves." The two sisters bowed in unison and flew into the trees.

"We will be watching as a precaution, but do not fear, he knows what will happen if he does anything other than what was ordered." He gave the oni a cold look and she saw this behemoth of monsters recoil in fear. He turned back to her and his gaze softened.

"I am not accustomed to losing. It is particularly hard now because I do not believe I have ever desired anything as much." He slipped a hand through the bars of her makeshift cage and cupped her dirty cheek. She didn't pull away as propriety dictated she should. In that moment she wasn't afraid of anything other than her own desire to stay with him.

She imagined how easy it would be. One word from her and he would rip the cage apart and they could fly back to the castle. She could spend the rest of her life looking into those eyes. And then she saw her father's face, and her mother's. Guilt rushed back like a tide of cold water.

"The future of my clan, I cannot." Before she could finish or pull away, he slipped his other hand inside the cage and cupped both of her cheeks.

"And what if I promised to destroy these enemies that plague your clan? I could wipe them out in a day and erase their threat. Could I have your love then, my lady?" She gave him a sad smile.

"Is it that simple, my lord? Would not another enemy spring up eventually? And even if not, I still have certain expectations to live up to. A promise was made and if I were to break it, then my word and my father's word would be worthless. I cannot."

"Then this is where we part." He ran his thumb across her cheek and pulled his hands away. As he walked away into the trees he glanced at the oni and said, "begin". The red youkai raised its head a let out a thunderous roar. She stumbled to one side of the cage and clapped her hands over her ears. On the second roar, she felt her teeth vibrate. She knelt down, with her hands still over her ears and squeezed her eyes shut.

* * *

><p>It was not long after midday when Gensai's search party met up with the search party led by Watanabe Rukuro. The two samurai decided to rest together and compare news and then go their separate ways to continue the search. The samurai and their lieutenants move away from the group to keep their conversation out of earshot. They found a fallen tree and sat side-by-side while their lieutenants remained standing. Gensai removed his helmet and passed it to his lieutenant.<p>

"There has been neither sign of her, nor anyone of a suspicious nature in our search so far," said Gensai.

"We have come up just as empty in ours," said Watanabe as he removed his helmet. "I sent two scouts to probe a forest not far from here. Have you encountered trouble searching the villages?"

"None other than grumbling complaints. I do worry that this ruse of looking for rogues will cause a panic among them."

"There is a chance of that but this story was agreed upon by all before departing the castle. We cannot let the news of this spread too far. I have caught wind of the rumor circulating among my men. They have heard tales from the servants of the castle."

"Yes, I'm sure my men suspect as well. We need only keep them quiet until Izayoi-sama is recovered. The rumor will turn to old news and have little potency if she is no longer missing by the time it becomes public knowledge."

"Unless she is harmed in some way," corrected Watanabe.

"We can only pray that whoever took her knew that harming her would damage their position for negotiation. But I grow concerned that there were no demands made for her safe return." A distant noise sounded in the air. Suddenly the camp was quiet and all the men were looking around in confusion. The noise rang out again and sent a chill down Gensai's spine. It was a sound like an avalanche but there was something primal and grotesque about it.

_There is nothing human about that._

Shouts from the camp drew their attention. Two men on horseback were riding in their direction. "My scouts return," said Watanabe.

The scouts made for them at a frantic pace and only managed to jerk their horses to a stop in time so they would not mow their commanders down.

"Watanabe-dono," began the first scout. The man was breathless and there was a wild look in his eye.

"A youkai!" The second scout was just as panicked. "A gigantic oni in the forest! And…it has someone in a cage! We couldn't risk getting close, but I'm sure!" Gensai stood up, marched over to the second scout, dragged him from his horse, and snarled in his face.

"What did you say?"

"An oni in the forest with a hostage in a cage, great samurai!" Gensai shook the scout so hard the man's helmet fell off.

"Was it a woman? Answer me!"

"The person was cowering in the cage, great samurai," said the other scout. "We could not see, but I believe they were wearing a woman's kimono." Gensai dropped the other scout and turned to Watanabe.

"Could it be youkai who took her, just as they tried to ambush your group before?" Asked Watanabe.

"We have to go. If it is Izayoi-sama, we must rescue her now." Both samurai turned to their lieutenants.

"Go," barked Watanabe. "Rally the men and fetch our horses!"

"You two," said Gensai, turning back to the petrified scouts. "You will lead us to this youkai!"


	6. Chapter 6

Title: The Encounter

Author: InuDemi

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha anime, manga, or characters. All rights and property belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz.

Summary: How Izayoi first met InuTaishou.

_(**Inner thoughts**)_

* * *

><p>As the roaring grew louder, there wasn't much need for the scouts to lead the way. Anyone in a fifty mile radius could follow the sound straight to the source. Gensai and Watanabe lead their conjoined company of soldiers to the sound as fast as they could, but when it was time to veer off of the road and into the forest, the pace slowed. There was the risk of a horse tripping over a root and twisting its leg. Facing a youkai on foot is never a good idea.<p>

A shadow passed overheard and Gensai heard some of the men shouting warnings. He looked up and saw a full-grown tree sailing through the air. He jerked his horse to the left just in time to avoid the crash. It was like an explosion made of leaves and wood. One of his men was crushed, horse and all, and now their forces were scattered.

"Form up! Rally to me!" Gensai was brandishing his sword in his hand and yelling to be heard over the monster. Watanabe was by his side in an instant but their divided and frightened men were slow to follow.

"I think we should split our forces," he said to Watanabe. "My men and I will attack the beast, and while it is distracted you and your men should make the cage your primary concern." Watanabe nodded in agreement and Gensai turned to the men and thrust his sword into the air. Watanabe did the same, but when Gensai turned his horse rode on, Watanabe stayed and held his position with his sword in the air. The signal to the men was clear, Gensai's men would follow, Watanabe's men would hold back.

Gensai and his men followed the noise of the youkai and his lieutenant was close behind him. When they finally broke through the trees, Gensai had to jerk his horse and change direction. There she was in the cage, with a youkai behind her.

"Distract it! Get it away from the cage! Archers, prepare to shoot!" He led his men around the left side, circling the clearing and forcing the monster to turn its back on Izayoi. He had twenty spearmen and twenty archers who were trained to fire from horseback but he feared that it was not enough.

"Aim for its face! Do not let your shots stray to the cage!" His lieutenant yelled out formation commands. His spearmen were in front preparing to charge. The yari they employed were a Tsuki nari design made for closer combat, to slash and hook. If only he had known what they were up against he would have ordered them to bring the Sankaku yari -a straight blade spear- better to pierce the monster's hide.

"Fire!" On his command the archers shot their arrows at the oni's face. The youkai roared in anger and tried to swat the arrows away.

**_Now! Before it can counterattack!_**

"Attack!" His spearmen charged in closer to the oni's right side, slashing at its flesh. For a moment they were almost blown back by the monster's roar. Dark blood and spear wounds now covered its right side. Through his mask Gensai could see a few of Watanabe's men had managed to come from behind and were sawing at the cage with their swords.

**_Where are the rest of his men?_**

"Fire!"

He looked around frantically and saw Watanabe and his archers. They were attacking the creature from the left. He turned back to his own archers.

"Fire at will! Keep it confused!" Volleys of arrows targeted the oni's face in front and from the left. It was impossible to tell how much damage they were doing but it at least kept the monster occupied. Watanabe sent his own spearmen to charge the left side and they watched in horror as one of his soldiers was knocked into a bone-breaking skid after being back-handed by the monster. The soldier and his horse tumbled over each other before finally losing momentum. Gensai could not tell if the man was alive but he doubted it because the horse had fallen right on top of him.

"She is free! The Lady is saved!" The cry went up from the cage behind the youkai. Gensai turned and saw a soldier racing his horse away from the battle with Izayoi. The rest of the soldiers from her rescue party were following close behind. Watanabe must have given orders to get her far away once they freed her. Some tension eased and Gensai was happy because now they could attack from all sides and finish this foul beast. It was as if the monster read his mind. It reached over and yanked another tree from the ground. Its eyes blazed bright red and it let out a growl that sprayed them with spit.

"Spears ready!" But just as he was about to give the signal to charge a sound pierced through the noise. Everyone stopped in their tracks. Arrows still notched and spears still lowered for a charge that would never happen. It was a howl and it came from the sky directly above them. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and Gensai looked on in astonishment. It was as if everyone was frozen for that instant. They were aware but did not, or could not move. The oni had stopped roaring and was staring at the sky. He saw the youkai give a grunt. Later, Gensai would realize that it was as if the oni was responding to the howl in the affirmative.

Suddenly there was a rush of wind and smoke. The horses whinnied and even with his mask on, Gensai had to shield his eyes from the wind. When the dust settled the oni was gone without leaving so much as a footprint.

He could hear Watanabe shouting, "where is the creature?" Unfortunately, he couldn't answer because he was just as clueless. Only one thought occurred to him.

"Could it have gone after her?" He shouted back to Watanabe.

"Form up!" Watanabe shouted.

They had to move quickly in order to catch up with the soldiers carrying Izayoi-sama. There was no way of knowing if the oni would come back. If it could vanish so quickly it could reappear the same way. Gensai and Watanabe rode at the head of their men. Watanabe revealed that his men were under strict orders to get Izayoi to the nearest village.

"This will raise questions among the peasants," Gensai shouted over the noise of galloping horses.

"My orders were to keep her on the outskirts, as much away from the people as possible," he replied.

* * *

><p>They stopped just before entering the rice fields of a village. She could see people working and smoke from the huts. She felt terrible. Not just emotionally but physically. She felt like she could lose the tiny bit of breakfast she had eaten. Flying with him had spoiled her and now she was back in the world of horses.<p>

"It would be my honor to help you down, Izayoi-sama." She nodded mutely to the soldier and let him assist her. She stumbled as soon as her feet touched the ground but the man caught her.

"Forgive me," she gasped.

"Izayoi-sama, please forgive us. What you need is rest but we were order to go no further than this."

"No, I just a moment alone, please. I will not go far." She managed to stand up straight and they bowed to her while she walked a little deeper into the woods. She stopped when a dry heave almost knock her to her knees. She covered her mouth with her hand and squeezed her eyes shut. Holding it back was worse than letting it happen but she still tried. Inevitably, she ended up hunched over on the ground, trying to hold her hair and kimono sleeves away from the mess.

She was exhausted, not only from the ride but from the overuse of adrenaline during the ruse. She was quite sure being right under the roars of the oni had done some type of internal damage. It felt like her brain had rattled against her skull from the vibrations. Then the soldiers showed up. The oni was warned not to harm her but with all those flying at its face it could have lost its mind and done anything. What really weighed on her was the howl they heard as they were fleeing. Just thinking about the sound made her spine stiffen. What did it mean? Did he join the fight after she was gone? When she pulled herself together and walked back to the soldiers she noticed that one of them was gone. The others bowed when they saw her, touching their heads to the ground.

"Have we lost a man?" She sat down in the grass and the men began fussing over her immediately.

"Izayoi-sama, please –" One started, but she waved them silent with her hand.

"Please, do not trouble yourselves. I have been held in a cage by a youkai, so this is nothing, but would it be possible to get some water?" One of the men stepped forward and offered her a water skin.

"I'm afraid this is the best we can do for now, Izayoi-sama," he said as he knelt back down.

"This will do perfectly well. Thank you." She took the water skin and took a long swig. "Now, where has our missing member gone?"

"He has gone to see if the battle is ended, Izayoi-sama" he answered with his head still low.

"I certainly hope it has. A drawn out battle with a youkai is very dangerous."

"I am sure the honorable samurai have led the men to victory in the great Daimyo's name." She smiled at the man but it was hollow. She couldn't say she wanted the oni to die. It had only been acting on orders from its master for her sake.

**_I am almost home, but this is far from over._**

"I hear horses," one of the other men said. She could hear them too and she closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. This was the beginning of redeeming her name and putting her betrothal back together. She took one more deep breath and stood up.

The horses grew closer until it sounded like thunder and she could feel the ground rumbling under her. She did not see the entire force of soldiers but five men came directly to her. She could see that one of them was the soldier who left them earlier, two were samurai, and the last two wore fine armor but not samurai masks –lieutenants.

They dismounted and the samurai removed their masks and helmets and gave them to their lieutenants, who bowed and stayed in their positions so as not to make eye contact with her. The samurai then approached her and bowed deeply from the waist.

"Izayoi-sama, are you wounded in anyway?"

"No Gensai-dono, I am well thanks to your efforts. That is twice now that you have saved my life." The two samurai stood up straight and smiled at them.

"The great Daimyo is eager for your safe return. We will send a hawk with word that we have recovered you and we will rest here and wait for his reply," said Gensai.

"I fear I need the rest," she said.

"Unsuitable as it is, we can send you stay in the village. Our men will stay on the outskirts to guard against anymore threats to your person," said Watanabe.

"That sounds very sensible and I would not mind the village," she said.

"Katshiro," called Gensai. His lieutenant sat up out of his bow but kept his eyes downcast.

"Yes, Gensai-dono?"

"Bring me the headman of this village."

"As you command." Katshiro mounted his horse and rode off toward the rice fields of the village.

"Hayate," called Watanabe.

"Yes, Watanabe-dono?"

"Tell the men to make camp and then send word to the great Daimyo."

"As you command," said Hayate. Watanabe turned to the soldiers from her escape party.

"You did well and will be rewarded for it. Now, leave us." The men bowed and left to join the other soldiers and make camp. When they were gone the two samurai turned back to her and she knew exactly was coming.

"Izayoi-sama," began Gensai, "we must ask how you came to be held by such a fearsome beast? How were you _taken_ from the castle so silently by something so large? You have our word that we will not share your recollections with anyone, save Daimyo-sama."

"I know these questions need answers but I simply do not have them, Gensai-dono. I remember nothing of the abduction. My last memory is of being alone in my chambers and then the cage, but there is nothing in between." The samurai looked at each other with grave expressions and bowed to her again.

"We are sorry you had to experience such an event, Izayoi-sama," said Watanabe.

"No one here is to blame," she responded

When Katshiro returns I will make arrangements for you with headman of the village. It should not be long before you return home, Izayoi-sama," said Gensai.

"I am grateful."

Inside she was miserable. Onikakushi meant she was the target of angry demons and once word got out it would make her whole family appear cursed. Her family would have to be purified to remove the imaginary taint, and even that may not satisfy her husband-to-be. Once again she had to remind herself,

**_This is what I chose._**


	7. Chapter 7

Title: The Encounter

Author: InuDemi

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha anime, manga, or characters. All rights and property belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz.

Summary: How Izayoi first met InuTaishou.

(_**Inner thoughts**_)

* * *

><p>She could see sunlight beginning to peek through the bamboo curtain that hung at the door. She was in the aftermath of another night of restless sleep that made her sluggish and put bags under her eyes. He mother would disapprove harshly once she saw her. There was nothing further she could think to do to remedy the problem. Last night Chou prepared green tea infused with chamomile and it managed to help her drift off but she woke up a few hours later.<p>

Chou and her baby were still sleeping softly so she stayed bundled up on the futon so as not to wake them. The headman's wife was delighted to have Izayoi in her home even though it meant her husband would have to leave for the duration of Izayoi's stay. He'd gone to stay with some of their other relatives in the village. And according to Chou it also made her quite famous with the other woman to have a great lady residing with her. She was full of energy and curiosity about Izayoi and life inside a castle. Izayoi found that she liked being with Chou, though her life made Izayoi envious. Izayoi was being forced to marry a man she did not know, that she had only seen maybe twice. Chou was able to give her opinions and see them considered when her parents began choosing her husband. Cho held land separate from her husband that had been bequeathed to her from a dead uncle. Izayoi could only hope that her parents would see fit to give her such an honor, or leave it all to her young brother.

Izayoi was expected to be political, but keep her opinions to herself unless asked. At the very least, she could only gather political power to use against other women of her circles, and only if it furthered her husband's ambitions. Chou gossiped non-stop about the village and its residence. Just last night she'd told Izayoi that a childhood friend of hers was committing adultery! She was baffled by Izayoi's surprised reaction because such things were common in village life. A woman of high social standing could be put to death for adultery. It was a noble woman's duty to keep her husband's bloodline alive by giving him children. Adultery not only shamed the husband but called his children's legitimacy into question and endangered his bloodline.

It's not that she desired such a thing for her marriage but she still envied that lack of responsibility. She had so much resting on her shoulders. What would it be like if her biggest worry was getting the chores done on time? The baby began to squirm and whimper and Chou woke up almost before its first cry. It was a curious thing to be a mother and so close to your child that you developed such instincts. She and her brother had nursemaids from their infancy until it was time for their tutors and other appointed overseers to step in. Izayoi sat up and stretched her arms and watched as Chou changed her son's cloth and tucked him close to give him her breast.

"Did we wake you, Izayoi-sama?"

"No, I've been awake for hours I'm afraid," she whispered back. Chou gave her a sympathetic smile and continued rocking her baby as he nursed.

"Perhaps you will sleep better once you are home? The attack will not leave your mind easy but familiar surroundings may help."

"I hope it will," she agreed. What she truly feared was waiting for her at home. Once she was back in her father's custody the cleansing would begin, and what she dreaded most was the purity check. A virgin bride had been promised to the Takeda clan and they will need assurances that they have not been cheated by a demon. She had already suffered through the event once before when the betrothal was in the final stages of becoming official. There were no words to describe how horrid it was. The Takeda clan sent their own physician so she could not use one prescribed by her father. Just remembering the touch of that haggard old man was enough to destroy her appetite.

She sat silently brooding as Chou put her baby back to bed and began bustling around making food and starting her chores. Izayoi was warned not to venture outside but Gensai was keeping her updated. Her father was sending her maids and transport to her and the search parties that were closest were being redirected to come guard her on the journey back. She had been in the village for two days already and she didn't mind being confined to the small hut at first. It was heaven compared to the travel sickness that was bound to happen once she set out, but she needed something to do.

She ate absentmindedly and Chou chattered on completely oblivious that Izayoi was miles away. What was worse is that once Chou went to work in the fields –baby in a sling on her back—Izayoi was all alone with her thoughts. Chou wouldn't hear of Izayoi doing any housework so there was nothing to distract her or keep her depression at bay. When she thought of home a knot of anxiety formed in the pit of her stomach. When she thought of him…well it was a jumble of emotions. She often caught herself wondering where he was and if she would ever see him again.

And this is how her days in the village were spent.

* * *

><p>On the day of her departure the village was surrounded by samurai and lower ranked foot soldiers conscripted from various villages. After speaking with her husband outside, Chou said the field work was put on hold until the soldiers departed. All the village residents were still inside their homes, peeking out of windows and doors in the hopes that they would catch a glimpse of Izayoi. Chou suspected most of the younger women were watching for the samurai. Takanaka and her maids were bowed before her, their heads touching the ground.<p>

"I am overjoyed to see you unharmed Izayoi-sama!" Takanaka spoke without raising his head so he couldn't see how stoical she was. She was happy to see them all, but it meant her peaceful time in the village was over.

"I am happy to see you as well, Takanaka-san. Akiko, Etsu, Hanako, and Mieko I am happy to see you as well."

"Izayoi-sama," they said in acknowledgement.

"We must prepare to leave now Izayoi-sama. Your honorable father and mother eagerly await your return."

"We will not keep them waiting," she said with a sigh.

"Your maids will dress you in more suitable attire," said Takanaka.

She looked down at the kimono Chou had given her. It was simple and functional but she knew it would be considered unacceptable once her stay was over. Takanaka stood up to leave and she could see him glancing at Chou with a disapproving look.

"Chou may stay. The entire village has been very kind to me, her especially," she said firmly. Takanaka bowed again and left the hut. Izayoi rose from her cushions so her maids could begin undoing her kimono. As if sensing her mood, her maids dressed her in silence. After nights of little to no sleep, and knowing what she was about to face, Izayoi could not put on a cheerful face for them.

**_No matter. They will think I am still distressed about the abduction._**

Chou took the old kimono from Mieko and busied herself with folding it. Once that was done she sat silently but her eyes lit up when she saw the kimono Izayoi's maids were dressing her in. They combed Izayoi's hair but she would have to wait for a bath since the samurai were anxious to leave. Akiko and Hanako finished tying her obi and Etsu held her geta as she slipped one foot in and then the other. She walked over to Chou, who stood up to meet her, and grasped her hands and gave her the biggest smile she could muster.

"There are no words to express my gratitude for all that you and your husband have done for me. I will never forget it and I will see that you are repaid for this kindness." The expression on Chou's face made her burst out laughing for the first time days. She had actually rendered the poor girl speechless. Izayoi kissed her on the cheek and walked to the door –her maids following behind her.

The bright red sedan chair was waiting for her right outside of the door with Takanaka holding the curtain open for her. She walked forward and entered the hooded chair, resigned to her fate.

* * *

><p>The march was non-stop, except when she needed to excuse herself and go into the trees. It only happened once and she was thankful for it. They made it back to the castle in one day with no attacks or complications what-so-ever. When they entered the castle gates she thought her bearers would die on the spot. She ordered that they be seen too but had no time to say anything else because Takanaka ushered her inside. She was put in a room on the second floor and told her parents were being fetched. She sat on a cushion in the center of the room and she could hear the rising noise outside. The entire castle was hearing of her return.<p>

Her mood had not approved on the trek from the village to the castle. Inside the sedan chair she was left alone with her thoughts once again. She tried to give herself some hope that she was close to it being over but she had not yet made it to the crest of this hill. She was about to lie to her parents and the Takeda vassals but telling the truth wasn't an option.

**_My esteemed lords, I was abducted from my balcony by a great demon lord who wants me to be his mate. Why was I on the balcony? You see, I assumed he was a shinobi and desired to negotiate a meeting between him and my lord father._**

A little giggle escaped her mouth and she clamped it shut immediately. She was about to implicate her family of Onikakushi, no need to add insanity as well. She heard them approaching and she could tell it was a lot of people. She thought only her father, mother, and perhaps her little brother would be present, but did the gods ever make anything so easy? The door on the front left side of the room slid open and her parents entered accompanied by a large group her father's samurai and the Takeda vassals. She bowed to her parents as they took their places on the cushions at the front of the room. Everyone else assembled themselves around the sides of the room, but the vassals took the seats closest to her father.

"You are returned safe, my child," said her father.

"Only do to your wisdom and the bravery of the noble samurai here, Daimyo-sama," she replied.

"Raise your eyes, daughter, let me see you." She sat up and looked her father in the eyes, holding his gaze.

"Were you harmed?" He asked.

"No, only imprisoned."

"We would like to hear your account of events." She could feel everyone staring at her intently. It was as if they were burrowing into with their eyes.

"The night I was taken, I could not sleep. I thought circling my garden might tire me and so I went there. I remember nothing after stepping out into the night air. I awoke in a cage with a gruesome oni in the forest."

"But it did not harm you?"

"No. It was as if it were standing guard over me," she finished.

"Standing guard? You believe this oni was protecting you from something?" She could hear the disbelief in his voice and her heart started to beat faster. She was getting dangerously close to the truth.

"No, I believe it was protecting _for_ something else but I know not what." She could see the samurai glancing at each other.

"Gensai Hattori," her father called, "tell us what you saw and how my daughter was recovered." Gensai bowed and sat back up. He told how he joined forces with Watanabe, how they saw her imprisoned when they followed the monster's noise, and the battle that ensued. When he got to the mysterious howl that brought the battle to an end, she felt the mood darken.

"Watanabe, do you agree with this report?" Asked her father.

"Yes, Daimyo-sama," he replied while bowing.

"This story of the howl troubles me as do these continued attacks on my daughter by youkai. Takanaka?" The door slid open and Takanaka bowed in its entrance.

"See my daughter to her new rooms, she is weary from travel. Her old rooms are to be closed off in case youkai try to gain access again."

"Yes, Daimyo-sama," said Takanaka.

"Rest assured," said her father as he turned back to her, "I will do all to discover the reasons behind these incidents. You _will_ be better protected."

"And the Takeda will do all in its power to help," said one of the vassals.

"We are relieved and happy to see you safe, Izayoi-sama," said Tamura, but she doubted his sincerity. She thanked them and bowed anyway.

Her father dismissed her and she bowed before leaving with Takanaka.

**_And now I've lost my garden._**

* * *

><p>She snuggled into the futon –finally content after being able to bathe. Takanaka informed her that her father had discussed the situation with vassals and samurai and she would know his will the next morning. There was no mystery; she knew what he would decide, what the vassals would recommend he do. She knew the legends and only purification can rid you of a demon's curse. They would all have to sit in prayer but since she was the main focus of this situation she would have to endure the brunt of this.<p>

She was hovering somewhere between sleeping and waking when a sharp sting on her cheek pulled her back. She reflexively brought her hand up and slapped her face. She sat up when she heard a familiar string of complaints in her ear. Myouga's flattened body floated down onto her lap and puffed up again.

"Izayoi-sama, how wonderful it is to taste –see you again!" The little flee youkai bowed to her and she grinned down at him.

"What are you doing here, Myouga-san?"

"My master sent me! He is waiting for you in your garden!" Myouga hopped up and down with excitement.

"How?" She asked.

"Do not worry, Izayoi-sama. The castle is asleep. My master made certain of it. You can go to the balcony and come back without fear of discovery."

Without a thought she threw the covers back, tossing Myouga somewhere on the other side of the room, and rushed out. She slowed when she reached the hallway because despite Myouga's assurances, she was still afraid some servant would be wandering the halls. She became bolder as she saw how still the castle was. There was no sound at all and it was almost unsettling. Usually she could hear guards and night attendants as they went about their nightly duties but now the silence was deafening.

There was a warm giddy feeling in her stomach when she finally made it up the stairs and walked into her old sitting room that led to the balcony. The room was dark but she remembered exactly how she left it and walked around easily without bumping into any of the tables. She froze when she looked at the balcony door and saw one of the male attendants slumped on cushion. He was snoring –quite loudly—so she calmed down and tiptoed forward.

She only opened the door as far as she needed to slip outside. He was there standing under her sakura tree in the center of the garden. His hair really did shine in the moonlight and his eyes…

She could feel herself smiling but she couldn't stop it, not that she tried that hard.

"I see they have moved you away from this open space," he said with an amused smile.

"Yes," she laughed, "my father is afraid that youkai will keep trying to abduct me." She gave him a knowing smile and walked forward. "Is he correct?"

"I am quite sure the next abduction will not happen unless you ask for it." She could feel the heat in her face and knew she was blushing, but when she looked down to hide it he only laughed and put his finger under her chin to title her face back up.

"So are you happy, Izayoi?" He said her named so informally and with such familiarity, but she didn't care enough to chide him.

"It was never really about being happy, it was about keeping my word," she said.

"If you ever decide that being happy is worth more, use this." He opened his hand and inside was a little figurine of a dog made from jade. It was attached to a ribbon of pink silk.

"A little dog?" She asked, sarcastically. His answered her with a crooked smile that made her heat skip.

"I thought it would amuse you." He rolled the right sleeve of her kimono up and began to tie the ribbon around her forearm.

"I will not give up on you, not fully. If you tell me to go, I will go, but if you reconsider or ever need me, smash this. Break it and whisper my name to the fang inside, and I will come." He finished tying the ribbon and rolled her sleeve back down to hide it and the little figure.

"But, my lord, I don't even know your name." The look he gave her nearly buckled her knees. His expression was soft and he looked at her with such naked emotion. He leaned in so his mouth was right next her ear and whispered it to her. A swift kiss on her cheek and he was gone. She was alone and felt light headed as if she drank too much sake and practically had to stumble back to her new room.

Once she was back on her futon she couldn't help but play with the little jade figure strapped to her arm. She had been so sure, so very sure, that she'd made the right choice. Her honor, her family's honor, forming an alliance to stop a war mungerer, it seemed like no choice at all. Her fingers traced the shape of the jade dog and she decided she would wear it, because now she had doubts. Now, she wasn't so sure.


End file.
